Effect of Rotational Speed Fluctuation Parameters on Dynamic Characteristics of Angular Contact Ball Bearings

The fluctuation in the rotational speed of the inner ring can lead to significant instability in the motion of both the inner ring and the cage of rolling bearings. This instability seriously impacts the operational performance and service life of the bearings. In this paper, a nonlinear dynamic model of a fully flexible angular contact ball bearing was established by comprehensively considering various nonlinear factors, including elastic contact relationships, internal collisions, friction, and clearance. The dynamic characteristics of the inner ring and cage under sinusoidal rotational speed fluctuations were studied. The effects of amplitude and frequency of rotational speed fluctuation of the inner ring on the motion stability of the inner ring and cage were analyzed. The results show that a greater the fluctuation amplitude leads to a higher the fluctuation amplitude in the cage’s rotational speed curve, while a higher fluctuation frequency correlates with an increased frequency in the cage’s rotational speed curve. These results indicate that increases in both the amplitude and frequency of rotational speed fluctuations result in more pronounced oscillations of the inner ring. The validity of the model was confirmed by comparing the LS-DYNA results with the analytical results and experimental results. The research findings can provide a theoretical foundation for enhancing motion stability and optimizing design of the bearings.